The Red Bulls were supposed to use this four-game homestand to get back into the Eastern Conference race. But after today’s 1-0 loss to unbeaten Chicago, they’re mired even deeper in the conference cellar. Last year’s MLS Cup finals berth is looking further and further away by the day.

They gave up Chris Rolfe’s goal in the 45th minute, just before the half. And despite outplaying the Fire, they couldn’t find an equalizer. The Red Bulls (2-6-3, 9 pts) stayed tied with Columbus for last in the East, but the Crew have two games in hand and the Red Bulls’ playoff hopes look bleak.

“We gave them one chance and they put it away. It’s sickening to think about right now. We had many opportunities _ Jon Busch was the MVP in goal for sure. It’s an extremely depressing feeling right now,” said centerback Mike Petke, at a loss to explain the Red Bulls’ woes.

“It’s not my job to say: I’m not the coach. I think we work very hard in practice. It was a good game plan put out, and it’s up to us to follow it. Sometimes we do and we still get the short end of the stick. Not all the time, we do… I don’t know what’s going on.” What’s going on is as dangerous slide by the Red Bulls. According to Elias, no team with this few points through 11 games has made the playoffs since Colorado in 2005. With Saturday’s tilt vs. those Rapids closing out this homestand _ and five-of-their-next six on the road _ they need results.

And they let a big conference result slip away today, after outshooting Chicago 19-12 and peppering Busch into ten saves. After Fire target man Brian McBride beat centerback Kevin Goldthwaite on Busch’s long goal kick, he headed it to Logan Pause, who nodded it to a sprinting Rolfe.

Rolfe had beaten struggling left back Alfredo Pacheco, turned and swept a left-footed shot past Red Bull keeper Jon Conway for his sixth goal in 13 games against New York. It was their 13th goal allowed this year, but five have come in the final minute of a half or a game.

“You’ve got to chalk it up to just lack of concentration for everybody, from the front to the back,” said Goldthwaite. “My role as a centerback, I need to be an anchor to make sure none of the guys are tuning out for those last two or three minutes. It’s definitely a lack of concentration on our part, and something we’ve got to work on to get better.

“I think it’s obvious with the stats, we’re giving up too many goals (late). That’s the time you have to tighten the belt and make sure nothing gets past you. I think we need to work better at it.”

Coach Juan Carlos Osorio said it may have been just the opposite, pressure mounting on players trying too hard in the waning moments. But at this point, after juggling all sorts of lineups and tactics, he can’t be sure himself.

“I think is too much pressure building up for the final minutes; that’s just my personal point of view. We have to find a psychologist that can tell us what it is,” said Osorio, whose team is 0-5 against the Fire since he left Chicago for New York last season.

He said on the goal the centerback (Petke) and fullback (Pacheco) were supposed to communicate, but didn’t.

“The other centerback and the fullback on that side are (supposed to be) talking, and we didn’t do that. Extremely disappointed and furious about the way that we conceded a goal,” said Osorio whose team just couldn’t buy a quality cross or beat Busch today.

“As good as (Goldthwaite) is in the air you have to know he’ll lose one ball against McBride. Even if he doesn’t lose it but doesn’t get a good clearance, the ball is going to bounce in front of us; so we have to go for those 50-50s, and we didn’t go for it.”

For his part, Petke _ pulled in the 54th minute when the Red Bulls switched from a 4-4-2 formation to a more attack-minded 3-5-2 _ said “I thought I was in a good position to cover; you make your own judgments. Apparently the goal was my fault. I’ll take that. Tough game.”

The Red Bulls dominated the game after switching to the 3-5-2, enjoying an 11-6 edge in shots and a 5-2 edge in shots on goal over the final 35 minutes. But they didn’t enjoy the final scoreline, as Chicago (4-0-6, 18 points) moved atop the Eastern Conference and within two games of the MLS record for an unbeaten streak to start the season.

About the only positive was that they played well _ outplaying the league’s last unbeaten team _ and Osorio said he’d stick with the 3-5-2. He’d used it to get back into the second half of the both D.C. United games _ the MLS tilt and the U.S. Open Cup encounter _ and finds himself in desperate times.